


Comfort to Run From

by mylucidskin (alyelle)



Category: Lost
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-28
Updated: 2005-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-23 22:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/931610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alyelle/pseuds/mylucidskin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The poolside had always been the place she ran to when she needed comfort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort to Run From

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [](http://shannon-boone.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://shannon-boone.livejournal.com/)**shannon_boone** "By the Pool" challenge. Thanks to Rachael for the beta. :)

He remembers the first time he found her there.

++

“Shannon?”

“Go away.” Without turning around.

“Why are you- ?”

“Fucking GO AWAY!” She screams the words this time, lashing behind with one hand to hit him. He grabs her wrist, forces her to spin around. Glaring through tear-glazed eyes, she sniffs back a sob with typical Shannon disdain.

“Let go of me,” but her voice is a whisper and her struggles half-hearted.

“What’s wrong?” She bites her lip, the glassy wells in her eyes threatening to spill again. “Please Shan, tell me.” He circles his free hand around her waist to pull her closer, but she  
beats him to it, all but throwing herself at him.

“I just felt sick, I need- needed air, and then… I don’t know, they were there, and he- but… she’s my best friend and… and I never thought- and he said he loved me anyway!”

Trying to unravel what this tirade actually means, Boone is wholly unprepared for an outpouring of noisy tears and Shannon’s head buried in his chest.

“Shannon,” he tries to pull away, make her sit down. She only clings tighter.

“No! Don’t go, please not yet.” She sniffs again, looking up into his face, silently pleading.

“I’m not- _Shannon_!” Damn if he ever knew the right thing to say to her. She was wailing again, forehead on his shoulder, her arms around his neck so tightly he was nearly choking.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Deftly he scoops her up in his arms, carries her to the deck. _Barely heavier than Sasha_ , he thinks, stroking her hair gently away from her face. Sasha, however, was nowhere near as much trouble, quite content to eat and catch the balls Boone patiently threw to her.

“Now. Do you want to tell me what’s wrong? And slowly this time.” He sounds facetious, but the look in his eyes and his fingers laced through hers betray his concern.

“I told you.” Impatient, a perfect teenager. “I felt sick, I couldn’t breathe. I came out here for air. And,” her voice wavers again, dangerously close to breaking, “and…”

“And?”

“And _he_ was there.”

“He who?”

“Aaron.” _The boyfriend_ , he thinks, eyes narrowing subconsciously. Well, boyfriend of this month at any rate. She carries on, oblivious to his reaction, hurt momentarily replaced by self-righteous indignation. “With Tiffany” - _that insipid redhead she’s always giggling with_ \- “and they were k- “ She bites on her lip again, frowning.

“Kissing?” supplies Boone, eyebrow raised.

The bite becomes harder, her fingers tighten around his. When she whispers again, he can hardly hear the words.

“He called me an immature little brat. He s- said I didn’t … really matter.”

“Oh, Shan.” _You are a little brat sometimes, but God, you matter to me_. For want of anything else to do, he hugs her to him, resumes the gentle stroking of her hair. Ever the good big brother.

++

Aaron, he recalls, had come out about two hours later. They’d still been sitting there, Shannon’s legs across his lap, her head on his shoulder, half asleep and happier. She’d looked up as he passed them, glared her favourite put-upon glare and wrapped her arms tighter around his waist.

Boone couldn’t have stopped the smug smile that danced across his lips if he’d wanted to.

++

The poolside had always been the place she ran to when she needed comfort. Through the window he sees telltale blond hair, peeking above the edge of the rock wall. She’s taller now, she can’t hide behind the fern fronds like she used to.

“Shannon?”

“Go away.” She’s intent on examining her knees and he smiles. _Just like every other time_.

Dropping down beside her, he settles, waiting for her to speak. Underneath it all, Shannon is predictable and he’s played this role too often now to be able forget his lines.  
She says nothing at first, just continues staring at the hem of her skirt, biting on a thumbnail. The hand that was wrapped around her knees gradually falls, resting close enough to his own that he can feel her trembling.

“It’s ok.” Before he can cover her hand with his own she’s beaten him again, slipped her fingers between his and laid her head on his shoulder.

“I’m leaving.”

He turns, sees her eyes are peeking up through smudged black lashes. Measuring again. _Always testing, aren’t you Shan? Always trying to see who’ll go furthest for you._ “You don’t have to-”

“No, I do. He was my _father_ , Boone. If I stay here I’ll see him everywhere. I just… can‘t. I‘m going.” She’s rarely this honest with him, a sign of her sincerity. He sighs.

“Okay, Shan. You do what you have to.” Her eyes are startled, confusion fleeting through. _Why aren’t you fighting me?_ Her voice betrays none of it.

“I will.” Standing she turns to him, offers her hand in the most un-Shannon gesture he’s ever seen. He takes it.

Shannon’s eyes search his as he stands, as if she’s not sure of the person standing in front of her anymore. When neither of them break the silence, she presses her lips to his gently, almost shyly. She pulls away before he can even think about what’s happening.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Understanding.” And she’s gone, black dress blending with the night that has fallen on top of them.

Thumb absent-mindedly tracing her kiss, Boone’s eyes trail the path she takes to the house. She’ll go, he knows. Shannon always makes good on her threats. But she’ll be back, and he‘ll wait. Deep down, she needs comfort, like air. Deep down the only comfort Shannon can accept is the poolside, and the one who sits with her beside it.


End file.
